Garlicky White Bean Dip

WhiteBeanDipLemonZestAI — Top the Garlicky White Bean Dip with some freshly grated lemon zest and a drizzle of truffle oil (Photo Credit: Adroit Ideals)

For a healthy party dip option, try my easy Garlicky White Bean Dip. It’s a simple and delicious dip to serve along with other appetizers on a buffet table or on its own as an appetizer prior to a main course.

Toasted Baguette topped with Garlicky White Bean Dip and a sprinkling of Fresh Lemon Zest (Photo Credit: Adroit Ideals)

One of my absolute favorite restaurant dips is the White Bean Dip at the swanky Italian restaurant Lupo Italian Kitchen (formerly Lupo di Mare) in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Lupo Italian Kitchen’s white bean dip is comprised of white beans, roasted garlic, truffle oil, lemon zest, and served with crostini. My Garlicky White Bean Dip is a bit thinner and tangier in taste than Lupo’s version. I like them both.

Garlicky White Bean Dip at Lupo di Mare in Rehoboth, Delaware (Photo Credit: Adroit Ideals)

I prefer to use cannellini beans in my white bean dip. You can also add garbanzo beans if you have them on hand.

Target’s Simply Balanced brand of organic cannellini beans (Photo Credit: Adroit Ideals)

To make my simple Garlicky White Bean Dip, just put some drained canned white beans, lemon juice and zest, garlic cloves, balsamic vinegar, honey and a touch of fresh or dried thyme into your food processor.

Place the ingredients in the food processor (Photo Credit: Adroit Ideals)

Add some olive oil as the dip is processing.

Whole Food’s Market’s 365 brand Olive Oil is a quality product (Photo Credit: Adroit Ideals)

Process until smooth.

Process the ingredients until smooth, adding olive oil as needed (Photo Credit: Adroit Ideals)

Season with salt and refrigerate for up to three days.

Store the Garlicky White Bean Dip in a sealed container for up to three days (Photo Credit: Adroit Ideals)

Serve with some toasted pita chips, toasted baguette slices or a raw veggie tray. And top it with a drizzle of truffle oil and fresh lemon zest at serving time for some extra decadence.

Enjoy!

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From the kitchen of A Food Lover’s Delight….

Garlicky White Bean Dip

Ingredients:

3 cans (about 14 oz. each) white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Zest of one lemon (zest the whole lemon before cutting the zested lemon in half to juice it)
Juice of half a lemon, seeds removed from juice
2 garlic cloves, peeled, or 1/4 c roasted garlic cloves
1 t white balsamic vinegar
1 t dried thyme or 1/2 T fresh thyme (leaves only)
1 T honey or maple syrup
4 T olive oil
Salt, to taste

Truffle Oil, for light drizzle at serving time (optional)

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients except the olive oil and salt in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the olive oil as the mixture gets smoother. Season with salt, to taste.
2. If the dip is too thick for your liking, you can add a bit more lemon juice. If your dip is too thin, add some more beans. The dip will thicken slightly as it chills in the refrigerator.
3. Chill in a non-metallic container for a few hours or until ready to serve. The longer the dip sits in the fridge, the better the flavors will enhance.

Makes about 1.5 cups of dip. Serve with pita chips, crackers, thinly sliced baguette, toasted baguette, or an assortment of crudités.

Variations: You can also use this garlicky white bean dip as a spread for a tortilla wrap or sandwich. Try with oil-packed canned tuna, roasted red pepper slices, and some diced kalamata olives on a toasty baguette for a Mediterranean-style sandwich. Or, you can add 1 roasted red pepper, seeded and cored, to the white bean dip ingredients before processing and omit the lemon juice. The roasted red pepper adds a gorgeous reddish tinge to the white bean dip.